c a f e sweetheart
by cherrySUNSETx
Summary: sometimes, you find exquisite things in unliked places · kibaten


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**café sweetheart,  
part one.**

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"Hello, my name's Tenten and I'll be your server today. Would you like to start off with your drinks, maybe an appetizer, or are you ready to order?" The smile I flashed them was as fake as purple grass, but the family smiled back -- apparently, I was convincing enough. I smoothed down the uniform I had to wear, a blue-gray skirt that I thought hugged all of the wrong places and barely reached my knees, and a very 'crisp', very white blouse with three-quarter sleeves. The worst part about that is that it's _white_. I mean, for God's sake -- I'm Buki Tenten! I was _born_ to play in the mud and get dirty; this white shirt was _not_ going to last.

When the father spoke up, saying they were ready to order, I whipped out my handy-dandy notebook (yes, I _do_ have too much free time, thank you) and produced a recently sharpened pencil from the high bun on the left side of my head. As everyone ordered, I jotted it down, also scribbling a 'mother', 'father', 'son', beside each order, just so I wouldn't forget. I'm actually quite a scatter brain at times, and while this trick is only supposed to be for the beginners, I've worked here eight months and I _still_ have to do it or else I forget. And forgetting is unprofessional. Screw professional, I think, but my boss is big on it. So I cheat.

I smiled again as I told them I'd have their drinks out soon, and walked away towards the kitchen, sticking the pencil back in my hair and grumbling. Honestly, I didn't like this job. I'd always wanted to do something memorable with my life, not work at a lousy café, even if it _was_ a café owned by the prestigious Uchiha family. I kinda would have liked to go into sports, you know, professionally. I'm pretty killer at archery, actually, I took three years in a club where I kicked butt, and I took eleven years of tae kwon do, jujitsu and karate, along with six years of kick boxing, four of normal boxing with your fists, and two years of gymnastics when I was younger. I've also played on many team sports, like soccer, softball, doubles tennis, and volleyball. I was a real busy kid, I remember. And with all those athletics… I really do wonder how I ended up here.

My life-story doesn't matter all that much, I suppose, so I'll shut up and get back to my depressing little job. After dropping off their refreshingly not complicated order, I turned to the drink station to fill up glasses of my table's preferred drinks. I was staring on the third and last glass when I felt a presence behind me. Knowing full well the only person it could be, I grinned. "You havin' a rough time too, eh, Temari?"

"God, Tenten," she replied, almost slamming her tray down, "some of these people are just _stupid!_ It doesn't matter that they're hot or anything, they're just_ dumb!_" She complained, angrily filling one of the cups with ice. "Then the ugly ones are the ones to hit on you, y'know?" I laughed, but nodded as I finished with the cup and loaded it onto the tray. I knew how it went; she ranted on this everyday. The hot guys were dicks, the ugly guys were either nice or they hit on you relentlessly, which got annoying, and when we got a gay one, he was super yummy and super nice, but so unavailable. And Temari never let me forget.

"I know, I know… But hey, think about it -- one more hour and we're free to go." I told her, flashing a grin as I picked up my black tray and gave Temari a pat on the back before walking back out into the dining area, humming to myself as I maneuvered around one of the other waiters, Naruto, a blond who was hyperactive as Temari's boyfriend was lazy. I reached my latest table and carefully spread the drinks out to who wanted them, and informed them it would be about ten minutes for the food. The kid looked so happy he could crap, so I laughed and smiled at him before leaving.

Turning back to the kitchen, the tray at my side, I forced my feet back, trying to keep the perkiest of smiles on my face even though I wanted to scream because I hate, absolutely hate, the way this skirt feels. Eight months and I still can't get used to it!

"Tenten!"

Blinking at the sudden use of my name, I turned around and immediately had to suppress a sigh, grumble, groan, moan_ and_ cringe. Why, why God, _why?_

"Neji…" I returned, awkwardly looking away while rubbing my bare arm. This wasn't particularly how I wanted today to go -- I never really _wanted _to run into my uptight ex-boyfriend… But what can you do, I guess.

"I want you to meet someone, Tenten. He's Saru's vet's son, Inuzuka Kiba, and he just moved here." I nodded carelessly, looking back over my shoulder for Temari, only hardly paying attention. "Yeah, hey, 'm Tenten…"

"Ten. _Turn around_."

Rolling my eyes at his tone, I did so, and Neji off-handedly motioned to a figure sitting at the bar, a figure who was busy with what seemed like shamelessly flirting with one of the girls, Ino. I already had him pegged from just that one display; a man-whore, as Temari would say. He'd go along great with Ino, I thought, she's a fun girl, but she has a different boyfriend every week it seems. This week it was this guy Sai, who tended to wear only half a shirt and seemed a little too preoccupied with Naruto's penis to be completely straight.

But apparently the sex was good.

When I heard Neji call the guy's name again, my head turned and I snapped out of my thoughts, rolling my eyes, starting to turn away. But as Ino was also called back, the Kiba character laughed, waved, and turned around, brows raised, a "yeah, what?" tumbling off his lips as he answered Neji's call.

That was when I thought I could melt.

Seriously, I've always had this taste in guys that was just totally unpredictable. I don't have this one set "type", although I will never date a guy who isn't athletic. I have noticed, however, I like guys with dark hair, like Neji and Lee and Kankurou. And Kiba. But don't like think I'm some boy-crazy girl, either; most of the time they're just a big hassle, especially when they think they're so cool and they're so much better than girls. They're not, lemme tell you, and I'm the girl to prove it. Anyways, even though I'm more of a tomboy (hence why I _hate_ this stupid itchy skirt) every girl wants the stability of a relationship sometimes.

Which led to my dating Neji for two years, but he just isn't as spontaneous and fun-loving as I am, and we broke it off. I guess you could say we tolerate one another still, but I personally think he might still have feelings for me. After all, I broke up with him, and how often does that happen to the great Hyuuga Neji? Uh, like, _never_. So, yeah. There are a lot of guys I like to look at, although I don't 'like' a guy easily.

This guy, well, he falls into the category of '_love_ to look at'. With his wild brown hair, all messy like that, and the way his eyes were deep chocolate and glinted. The red tattoos he had just tied it all together, and I especially loved the way he seemed so confident. And I was surprised, honestly, so surprised I didn't hear the smirk in Neji's tone, or see the one that was actually on the face when he leaned against the counter in that cocky of way of his. "He's thinking about getting a job here. I told him you were one of the people that had been here the longest."

I laughed awkwardly, and Kiba grinned at me, crossing his arms over his chest, looking smug. "Naruto." I said stupidly after a second, and Neji's brow quirked. "Naruto's been here longer than I have--" I started to finish, but my ex waved me off.

"Naruto's an airhead. He couldn't put a good word in for Kiba. I would if I still worked here, but…"

This is where I heaved a heavy sigh. "So you figured you'd ask your ex-girlfriend, who's still stuck in this place after months, right? Whatever. Favor for him, not for you, Neji." He thought he could pull that on me, did he? He must have thought I still liked him, somewhere deep inside of me. I don't. And even though I'm not usually snappy like that, the slightly shocked look on his usually emotionless face was rather rewarding. Maybe I should be snarky more often?

"Anyway, Kiba, why don't you set your sights higher? This _is_ just a lousy café, after all…" I said with a tip of my head, hoping my boss wasn't around. The guy shrugged, leaning against the counter like Neji.

"I love animals and all, but I gotta go to school for that, you know? So I figured somewhere like this would be cool to get some money for tuition and stuff. Besides, from what I hear, the staff's cute." The last bit he said with a laugh and a grin, a bit of a feral look in his eye. Here I noticed he was actually checking me out. I nodded, understanding, but a small blush tinged my cheeks and I knew I was going to get flustered standing here much too longer, so I'd better do something.

"Well, I'll tell Ino - that was the blonde you were just talking to - to bring you an application, but you'll probably be picked up. We've been needing a new busboy."

The look on his face when I said busboy was priceless -- like, '_Me?_ _Cleaning_?', but I felt laughter swelling inside of me that I'd managed to shock him like that after he'd gotten me all nervous. It was an accomplishment. "So maybe I'll see you later, Kiba. Jahane, boys." I waved over my shoulder as I turned around, back to the kitchen, missing the way Kiba's grin changed and how Neji chuckled. It was obvious something was going to happen, but I couldn't look back.

Besides, I had to tell Temari that I thought this job was the _best._

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**an: **hmmm. finally got this up. (:  
i have a few more i want to start, too, actually.  
and i'm trying to finish typing the kh one i've been meaning to upload. .  
anywho. x3 r&r, please? haha. and thank you all for reading, i appreciate it much. :3


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